March 5 Community Tour and Forum Summary

Over 100 community members – from preschool parents to senior citizens – got an inside look at the current AHS facility on Monday March 5th. A dozen High School students and teachers were on hand to guide visitors through the facility – a necessity given the complex series of buildings, levels, hallways and dead-end stairwells that make up the AHS campus.

This was the third event planned by the AHS Building Committee in an effort to invite the community to engage in the process of renovating or rebuilding the century-old Arlington landmark. After the tour, consultant David Stephen from New Vista Design shared common design patterns for new High Schools across the nation.

An undersized band/orchestra room, a hub of activity from dawn to late evening

The facility’s two gyms that host regional athletic competitions

‘The Pit’, the original gym and original section of the building

A cafeteria designed for 375 students, that services 450 students at a time

After seeing first-hand where the nationally ranked AHS program is delivered, David Stephen shared ideas of ‘what could be’ and asked attendees what resonated with them as they think of the AHS of the future. With inspiration and creative ideas flowing, Stephen discussed design patterns such as: